“Sing, O barren,You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD. “ Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited. “ Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; is called the God of the whole earth.'-Isaish 54:1-5
More are the children of the desolate? God makes all things good. As a woman we need a husband to have children…if there is not one we are barren by circumstance. Even through what we see, God desires us to praise Him. Praise Him in the midst of our lack. Even when what we see as a future is desolate God still says MORE are the children (what is birthed) from desolate. Even in times where you see no growth God still wants us to prepare our hearts to sustain greater things. I imagine this woman lived in a small tent. She never allowed herself to make room for anything greater because of her circumstance. In the times of hardship or lack we become strong as we press through the stretching of our faith for more. Who you prepare for will inherit what you have started. They will possess all that you have worked for. Nothing we do for God is in vein. We don’t labor in vein. Perfect love casts out all fear. Sometime I know for myself I am afraid to “enlarge my tent” because I am afraid to fail. But God says "do not be afraid. you will not be put to shame." Even in the times I have failed or have been shamed I will forget… maybe not literally but when my eyes and focus are on God and what He is doing my mind will not focus on shame. This barren woman did not have a husband in the natural but here God is saying, "I am your husband. You will birth something through me." He is the creator, redeemer, and in control of all things.
